Crimp contacts
Crimp contacts from A to Z - long-lived, robust and reliable!
Despite modern connection technologies like the widely used quick lock connection, crimp contacts, tried and tested for decades, offer a series of benefits. Our guide explains the most important questions relating to Han C, Han D and Han E crimp contacts, Phoenix crimp contacts and accessories needed for crimping, such as crimp pliers and the dismantling tool.
Contents:
What is a crimp contact and what are its advantages?
Whether crimp contact socket or connector: Crimping enables a homogeneous and non-detachable connection between an electrical conductor and the contact element. The mechanically highly robust and electrically reliable crimp connections can be assembled manually or with machine support. Crimp contacts are also suitable for a wide range of cable cross-sections and conductor types and are a time-saving alternative to soldering. In addition, crimp contacts make it possible to accommodate a large number of pins in a compact Harting Han D connector, for example.
But regardless of whether Harting Han E crimp contacts or Phoenix crimp contacts: The cable and contact are connected by plastic deformation of the contact. During this process, the crimp contact is pressed inseparably into the cable.
The following is a brief explanation of important terms that are frequently used in relation to crimp contacts:
- Contact sockets: A contact element that is intended to make contact on its inner surface and that can accommodate a suitable contact pin: Also called a female contact.
- Contact pin: A contact element that provides a contact surface on its outer side and can be accommodated by a suitable contact socket: Also called a male contact.
- Power contact: Contact for transmitted electrical energy.
- Contact arrangement: Number, distances and distribution of contacts in a connector.
- Crimp area: Area of the crimp contact, where the crimp connection realised through pressure deformation around the conductor.
- Crimp sleeve: A connection sleeve that can accommodate one or more conductors and can be crimped using a crimping tool.
The advantages of crimp contacts at a glance:
- Ideal for pre-assembly for extensive cabling as well as for individual production
- The low space requirement enables a higher contact density, e.g. compared to screw connections
- When correctly designed, crimp connections are very reliable and have low contact resistance
- Consistent quality of the connections thanks to their easy-to-reproduce mechanical and electrical properties
- Rational production of connections
- Processing using fully automatic or semi-automatic crimping machines or manual crimping pliers
- No cold soldering points
- Conductor flexibility behind the crimp connection is retained
- No burnt, discoloured or overheated conductor insulation
- Good connections with reproducible electrical and mechanical values
- Easy production monitoring
- Low space requirement
The drawbacks of using crimp contacts:
- The connection cannot be detached
- Special tool required
What crimp contacts are there?
In electrical engineering and electronics, crimp contacts are generally used when cables are crimped to a socket or plug. There are suitable contacts for the widely used Harting C, D and E connectors, which differ in terms of material, cross-section, contact resistance and rated current.
The majority of Harting contacts are turned crimp contacts made of constantan or a copper alloy, optionally with a silver-plated or gold-plated surface. While contacts made of constantan guarantee a constant electrical resistance up to a theoretical temperature of 400 degrees, gold-plated contacts are characterised by high contact reliability and very high conductivity. Compared to silver-plated contacts, however, they are significantly cheaper than gold-plated contacts. Of course, all contacts are available as socket contacts, also known as "females", and as pin contacts, also known as "males". A distinction is also made between the type of connectorin which the contacts are used. There are crimp contacts for industrial connectors, harting-connectors
and circular connectors.
Open crimp contacts
For applications in electronics with relatively low currents, open crimp contacts are frequently used. They are predominantly offered as taped products, as the quantities processed are quite high.
Closed (twisted) crimp contact
For higher currents, which often occur in industrial applications such as Han® connectors, individual turned contacts are used, which allow a higher current load with the same cross-section.
Special feature of gold crimp contacts compared to silver crimp contacts
Contact material: The choice of material (mostly copper or copper alloys) depends on the desired features of the connector. Contact resistance, mating and unmating forces, mating frequency, upper temperature limit and environmental factors all play a role here.
Compared to silver, gold has a worse conductivity. However, these contacts are used in signal transmission and data transmission. The reason for this lies in the consistent resistance. Environmental factors have very little impact on gold contacts and no influence in current transmission. Gold contacts therefore guarantee clean and stable data transmission over the long term. These benefits result in the higher price. For much higher costs are incurred due to faulty data transfer.
Contact surface: Surface coating to achieve a constant contact resistance that is as low as possible. Protection against environmental factors
Overview of Harting crimp contacts:
- Harting C crimp contacts for connections with cross-sections from 1.5 to 10 mm
- Harting D crimp contacts for connections with cross-section from 0.14 to 2.5 mm
- Harting e crimp contacts crimp contacts with a connection cross-section from 0.14 mm² to 4 mm²
- Harting C, D and E circuit board contacts / fast-lock circuit board contacts (contact socket or contact pin) up to 10 mm² cross-section
- Harting Yellock contacts (contact socket or contact pin) to 4mm² cross-section
- Harting Han TC-contacts (contact socket or contact pin) to 240 mm² cross-section
- Harting HSB crimp contacts (contact socket or contact pin) to 10 mm² cross-section
- Harting D-Sub crimp contacts (contact socket or contact pin) to 0.82 mm² cross-section
Overview of crimp contacts for circular connectors:
- M17 crimp contacts with a connection cross-section from 0.08 mm² to 2.5 mm²
- M23 crimp contacts with a connection cross-section from 0.08 mm² to 2.5 mm²
- M40 crimp contacts with a connection cross-section from 0.14 mm² to 6 mm²
- M58 crimp contacts with a connection cross-section from 10 mm² to 50 mm²
- R15 crimp contacts, silver or gold-plated
- Crimp contacts for signal & data connectors
- Crimp contacts for power connectors
How are crimp contacts fitted?
To ensure consistently high quality crimp connections, crimping tools must be able to withstand at least 50,000 crimping cycles in accordance with DIN 41641-1. In addition, the crimping pliers recommended by the manufacturer and a suitable crimping die should be used to ensure a flawless and durable connection. Analogously to the wide range of crimp contacts and different crimping dies, the range of crimping pliers is also correspondingly large. In principle, crimping pliers differ in terms of crimping dies. As these pliers can cost several hundred euros, depending on the manufacturer and crimping method, we offer crimping pliers for Harting standard contacts, for example, for rent.
However, regardless of whether core end ferrules are to be crimped with a square, trapezoidal or hexagonal crimp, the process usually involves the following steps: :
- The insulation is removed from the cable core corresponding to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- The crimp contact is positioned in the crimping pliers
- The core is inserted into the crimp contact (core end ferrule)
- The crimping pliers are completely closed and the integrated positive lock ensures that the crimping process is completed.
You can read detailed instructions on crimping in our "Correct crimping"guide
How do I detach a crimp contact?
Depending on the manufacturer and connector type, crimp contacts can be removed without causing damage using a suitable extraction tool. An extraction tool is necessary, for example, if the assignment of a circular connector needs to be changed or polarity reversal errors need to be corrected.
The following must be noted here: The extraction tool must be precisely matched to the respective crimp contact so that neither the contact nor the connector is damaged during removal. For example, there are different dismantling tools for Harting crimp contacts of types C and D, with which damage-free dismantling is possible. It is important here that only the contact is removed from the insert. The crimp contact that has been pressed (crimped) onto the strand with the crimping pliers can no longer be removed.